Talen

Horton-Tucker

Coming off recording a triple-double against Miami on Wednesday, Giddey will miss Friday’s matchup with Washington. Patrick Williams, Talen Horton-Tucker and Jevon Carter are all candidates to replace him in the starting unit, depending on how big or small head coach Billy Donovan wants to go with his opening lineup.

Buzelis is the lone typical starter for Chicago in this game. They will be incredibly shorthanded against Cleveland, which makes the rotation difficult to predict. However, these five will surely play significant roles, with Zach Collins, Julian Phillips and Talen Horton-Tucker among the reserves that should play big minutes.

Chicago is basically waiving the white flag for this game. All five starters from their last game have been ruled out. Zach Collins and Jalen Smith should split the minutes at center, with Talen Horton-Tucker and Dalen Terry taking on big minutes on the perimeter. This will be a very different rotation for Chicago.

Ball last appeared in a game on February 28. Unlike the last two games, when the Bulls initially listed him as questionable, Lonzo is “out” on the injury report for Tuesday. With Coby White ruled out and Josh Giddey questionable, the Bulls could be severely shorthanded regarding on-ball playmakers. Talen Horton-Tucker is the player to watch, as he could figure prominently in the rotation if Giddey does not play.

With Coby White and Kevin Huerter already out, Chicago could be without four starters for Tuesday’s game. Vucevic’s potential absence would impact Zach Collins and Jalen Smith, as both would see their minutes increase. Giddey missing the game would likely lead to more playing time for Talen Horton-Tucker, who would be worth streaming in deep leagues.

While White’s absence is due to rest, Huerter will not play on Tuesday because of a cervical strain. The absences open up two spaces within the Bulls’ starting lineup, with Patrick Williams, Dalen Terry and Talen Horton-Tucker among the potential replacements. Williams has yet to start alongside Matas Buzelis, so he feels like an unlikely starter.

This is the second-straight game that Ball will initially be listed as questionable. Though he missed Friday’s game against Portland, there is certainly a chance that he is back to play against Charlotte. In that scenario, Kevin Huerter and Talen Horton-Tucker would likely lose out on minutes, with Huerter potentially being pushed back to the bench.

Ball hasn’t played since February, but there is a chance that he suits up against Portland. Due to the lengthy layoff, Ball’s role will likely be limited, which means he may not return to the starting unit in his first game back. Kevin Huerter and Talen Horton-Tucker may lose out on a few minutes if Ball returns.

This was the second time this season that THT has played at least 30 minutes in a game, and he has scored at least 20 points in each of them. His 27 points on Tuesday were a new season-high for him, and it came 24 hours after he scored 16 points in 16 minutes against the Thunder. That came after not playing in three straight games. The 24-year-old was able to make an impact off the bench despite his spot in the rotation being inconsistent all season.

Under normal circumstances, Carter and Phillips’ absences would not impact fantasy basketball. However, with the Bulls missing multiple perimeter players, the available options will likely log significant minutes on Tuesday. Talen Horton-Tucker and Patrick Williams should see their minutes increase due to the absences.